While there is a lot of scholarly speculation about the mountains, Sinai and Horeb—some say that they are one and the same mountain, while others state that they are separate and not even found in the same region—today we will be investigating the Biblical significance and what that means for our lives today.

The first time one of these mountains is mentioned in the Bible is in Exodus 3:1–5. “Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And He said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”

In relation to this astounding event, we read in Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 252, “Humility and reverence should characterize the deportment of all who come into the presence of God. In the name of Jesus we may come before Him with confidence, but we must not approach Him with the boldness of presumption, as though He were on a level with ourselves. There are those who address the great and all-powerful and holy God, who dwelleth in light unapproachable, as they would address an equal, or even an inferior. There are those who conduct themselves in His house as they would not presume to do in the audience chamber of an earthly ruler. These should remember that they are in His sight whom seraphim adore, before whom angels veil their faces. God is greatly to be reverenced; all who truly realize His presence will bow in humility before Him, and, like Jacob beholding the vision of God, they will cry out, ‘How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’ Although Mount Horeb was also known as the mountain of God, Moses entered into its terrain; and only after being commanded by God to take off his sandals did he come to reverence more fully the holy place.”

Afterwards, God gave Moses his mission, “And He [God] said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.” Genesis 3:12

And we can read in the Bible all about Moses’ journey back to Egypt and about the trials that beset him there. After all these experiences, we find in Exodus 19 that “In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes. And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.” Exodus 19:1–2, 10–11

By the time the Israelites had arrived at Sinai, they had seen the mighty power of God. They saw how He delivered them by many miracles from Egypt; how He split the Red Sea, and provided manna for them each morning. The presence of God traveled with them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

Encamped by Mount Sinai, something very special happened. God told Moses to prepare the people by washing and thorough consecration, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

“And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” Exodus 20:18–19

With the thunder, lightning, and smoke, the people were very afraid, so Moses went up to talk to God instead. Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain for 40 days.

“And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. . . . And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And when Aaron saw it, he built an alter before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast unto the LORD. And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.” Exodus 32:1, 4–6

Yes, idolatry at Sinai, at the foot of the mountain of God, in the presence of God. The people who had seen for themselves the might of God, now turned back to their evil ways so quickly.

“During this period of waiting, there was time for them to meditate upon the law of God which they had heard, and to prepare their hearts to receive the further revelations that He might make to them. They had none too much time for this work; and had they been thus seeking a clearer understanding of God’s requirements, and humbling their hearts before Him, they would have been shielded from temptation. But they did not do this, and they soon became careless, inattentive, and lawless.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 314

Many condemn Israel quickly, but when we think about it, we are often placed in the same situation: 1) Reverence in God’s presence (Mount Horeb); 2) Idleness in our spare time (Mount Sinai) (still in presence of God).

It is my desire that we can take the lessons found at both these locations and apply them to our own lives. Amen.

Elaine Romero